Swine managers have two educational opportunities scheduled back to back on June 29 in Greenville, Ohio. A Swine Building Ventilation Systems workshop and Livestock Mortality Composting certification training is slated for that date at the Darke County Fairgrounds.

The program focuses on cooling pigs in the summer heat and operation of the mechanical system. Beginning with registration at 9 a.m., “How Do We Really Move Air” is explained by Glen Arnold, OSU Extension Educator from Putnam County.  “Ventilation Design for Cooling Pigs” follows, taught by Mark Oberreuter, Ventilation Design Engineer and Technical Specialist for Automated Production Systems. Just prior to lunch, Dale Ricker, Ohio State University Extension swine program specialist, talks drippers, tunnel ventilation, and cool cell maintenance in “Beating Summer Heat”. 

A half hour break at noon allows time for lunch sponsored by the Darke County Pork Producers. From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. hands- on activities with OSU’s ventilation teaching trailer and controllers will be led by Oberreuter, Arnold and Jerry Happy, APS East Coast District Manager. Air filtration systems, additional issues with cooling pigs, and summer ventilation controller adjustment wrap up the program.

Registration ($40) is requested by June 24 with a complete agenda and other details available at http://porkinfo.osu.

edu/content/swine-ventilation-systems-workshop-scheduled-june-29-2011 .
For additional questions, please call Ricker at 419-523-6294.
Swine and any other livestock, poultry or dairy managers are invited to participate in a Livestock Mortality Composting Certification Training beginning immediately after the ventilation workshop.  Instructed by Justin Petrosino, Darke County and Roger Bender, Shelby County Extension ag professionals, the two-hour program will certify farmers to compost expired animals with hide or feathers. The cost: $10 which includes the training and a manual. Please register ASAP with Petrosino at 937-548-5215 or petrosino.3@cfaes.osu.edu

We walked wheat fields last week for our annual head scab assessments and determined the prognosis for both wheat yield and quality is not good.
Multiple days of rain after green up back in April first pre-empted timely applications of nitrogen due to saturated soil conditions, then contributed to N loss or prevented roots from taking the nutrient up from anaerobic soils.  Then many leaf diseases appeared, especially on more susceptible varieties. During a few short windows of opportunity, farmers and dealers were able to apply fungicides and a second application of nitrogen in late April and early May. 
Weather forecasts were dismal as we entered May and unfortunately held true. We were warned by our Ohio State University Extension Plant Pathologist Dr. Pierce Paul that multiple days of rain during wheat flowering would be conducive to a head scab infestation. If effective control of the fungus was to be effective, a chemical application needed to be timely and preferably done with a ground rig.

Well, we all know what happened. The many showers not only induced head scab, most fields were way too wet to traffic so applications needed to be made aerially. Since wheat flowering occurs over a relatively short period of time, even fungicides applied by air were difficult since it seemed to rain most days. Sustained flooded conditions also killed large areas of wheat in fields.
A number of farmers have had insurance adjustors check their fields and when hearing yield estimates, decided to destroy stands and no-till soybeans into the killed wheat. For stands headed for harvest, wet weather conditions during grain dry down will likely reduce quality even further.

On a brighter note, warm weather and adequate moisture have helped late planted corn and soybean fields gain a green color rapidly. Staying abreast of nitrogen side-dressing and weed control needs continue to fill farmer work schedules.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.